A disciple came in to pay his respects to the Shaykh—and by this (word) “Shaykh” I do not mean one old in years, but one old in understanding and knowledge (of God), even if he is Jesus, on whom be peace, in the cradle, or Yahyá (John the Baptist), on whom be peace, in the children's school. The disciple saw the Shaykh weeping; he too acted in conformity (with the Shaykh) and wept. When he had finished and gone forth (from the Shaykh's presence), another disciple, who was more cognisant of the Shaykh's spiritual state, impelled by (noble) jealousy, went out quickly after him and said to him, “O brother, (whatever may happen) I shall have told you: for God's sake, for God's sake, beware of thinking or saying that the Shaykh wept and you wept likewise; you must practise self-discipline without hypocrisy for thirty years, and you must traverse ravines and seas full of leviathans, and lofty mountains full of lions and leopards, that you may attain to that weeping of the Shaykh or not attain. If you attain, you will often utter thanksgiving (as immense as is the extent of the earth, described in the words of the Tradition), ‘The earth was gathered together for me.’”

یک مریدی اندر آمد پیش پیر ** پیر اندر گریه بود و در نفیر

A disciple came into the presence of the Pír: the Pír was (engaged) in weeping and lamentation.

شیخ را چون دید گریان آن مرید ** گشت گریان آب از چشمش دوید

When the disciple saw the Shaykh weeping, he began to weep: the tears ran from his eyes.

گوشور یک‌بار خندد کر دو بار ** چونک لاغ املی کند یاری بیار

The man possessed of an ear (sense of hearing) laughs once, when a friend repeats a joke to a friend; the deaf man (laughs) twice:

بار اول از ره تقلید و سوم ** که همی‌بیند که می‌خندند قوم

The first time by way of conformity and affectation, because he sees the company laughing.

کر بخندد هم‌چو ایشان آن زمان ** بیخبر از حالت خندندگان 1275

The deaf man laughs then like them, without knowing the (inward) state of the laughers.

باز وا پرسد که خنده بر چه بود ** پس دوم کرت بخندد چون شنود

Afterwards he inquires what the laughter was about, and then, having heard, he laughs a second time.

پس مقلد نیز مانند کرست ** اندر آن شادی که او را در سرست

Hence the mere imitator (of a Shaykh), too, resembles the deaf man in respect of the (feeling of) joy that is in his head.

پرتو شیخ آمد و منهل ز شیخ ** فیض شادی نه از مریدان بل ز شیخ

It is the Shaykh's reflexion, and its source is in the Shaykh: the overflow of joy is not (derived) from the disciples; nay, it is from the Shaykh.

چون سبد در آب و نوری بر زجاج ** گر ز خود دانند آن باشد خداج

Like a basket in water or a (ray of) light on glass: if they think it (comes) from themselves, ’tis (owing to) defect (of intelligence).

چون جدا گردد ز جو داند عنود ** که اندرو آن آب خوش از جوی بود 1280

When it (the basket) is separated from the river, that perverse one will recognise that the sweet water within it was from the river;

آبگینه هم بداند از غروب ** که آن لمع بود از مه تابان خوب

The glass also will recognise, at the setting (of the moon), that those beams (of light) were from the beauteous shining moon.

چونک چشمش را گشاید امر قم ** پس بخندد چون سحر بار دوم

When the (Divine) command “Arise!” opens his (the imitator's) eye, then he will laugh, like the (true) dawn, a second time.

خنده‌ش آید هم بر آن خنده‌ی خودش ** که در آن تقلید بر می‌آمدش

He will even laugh at his own (former) laughter which was produced in him in that (period of) imitation,

گوید از چندین ره دور و دراز ** کین حقیقت بود و این اسرار و راز

And will say (to himself), “(Travelling) by all these far and long ways, and thinking that this was the Reality and that this was the Mystery and Secret,

من در آن وادی چگونه خود ز دور ** شادیی می‌کردم از عمیا و شور 1285

How forsooth, in that valley (of imitation), did I rejoice from afar through blindness and confusion?

من چه می‌بستم خیال و آن چه بود ** درک سستم سست نقشی می‌نمود

What was I fancying, and what was it (in truth)? My weak perception was showing (only) a weak image (of the reality).”

طفل راه را فکرت مردان کجاست ** کو خیال او و کو تحقیق راست

Where is the thought of the (holy) men in relation to the child of the (mystic) Way? Where is his fancy in comparison with true realisation?

فکر طفلان دایه باشد یا که شیر ** یا مویز و جوز یا گریه و نفیر

The thought of children is (of) the nurse or milk or raisins and walnuts or weeping and crying.

آن مقلد هست چون طفل علیل ** گر چه دارد بحث باریک و دلیل

The imitator is like a sick child, although he may have (at his disposal) subtle argumentation and (logical) proofs.

آن تعمق در دلیل و در شکال ** از بصیرت می‌کند او را گسیل 1290

That profundity in (dealing with) proofs and difficult problems is severing him from (spiritual) insight.

مایه‌ای کو سرمه‌ی سر ویست ** برد و در اشکال گفتن کار بست

It took away (from him) the stock (of insight), which is the collyrium of his inmost consciousness, and applied itself to the discussion of (formal) problems.

ای مقلد از بخارا باز گرد ** رو به خواری تا شوی تو شیرمرد

O imitator, turn back from Bukhárá: go to self-abasement (ba-khwárí) that thou mayst become a (spiritual) hero,

تا بخارای دگر بینی درون ** صفدران در محفلش لا یفقهون

And that thou mayst behold within (thee) another Bukhárá, in the assembly-place whereof the champions are unlearned.

پیک اگر چه در زمین چابک‌تگیست ** چون به دریا رفت بسکسته رگیست

Although the courier is a swift runner on land, when he goes to sea his sinews are broken.

او حملناهم بود فی‌البر و بس ** آنک محمولست در بحر اوست کس 1295

He is only (like those of whom God says in the Qur’án) We have borne them on the land; (but) that one who is borne on the sea—he is somebody.

بخشش بسیار دارد شه بدو ** ای شده در وهم و تصویری گرو

The King (God) hath great bounty: run (to receive it), O thou who hast become in pawn to an imagination and fancy.

آن مرید ساده از تقلید نیز ** گریه‌ای می‌کرد وفق آن عزیز

From conformity that simple disciple, too, was weeping in concert with the venerable (Shaykh);

او مقلدوار هم‌چون مرد کر ** گریه می‌دید و ز موجب بی‌خبر

(For), like the deaf man, he regarded the (Shaykh's) weeping in the manner of a conformist and was unaware of the cause.

چون بسی بگریست خدمت کرد و رفت ** از پیش آمد مرید خاص تفت

When he had wept a long while, he paid his respects and departed: the (Shaykh's) favourite disciple came quickly after him,

گفت ای گریان چو ابر بی‌خبر ** بر وفاق گریه‌ی شیخ نظر 1300

And said, “O thou who art weeping like a witless cloud in concert with the weeping of the Shaykh (possessed) of insight,